How to write magazine fillers

Janoah WhiteUpdated April 17, 2017

Magazine fillers are items used to fill in space between articles in a magazine. Many freelance writers submit these articles to magazines in lieu of or in addition to sending longer pieces. This can be a great way for a person to get started in magazine writing, as magazines tend to need more fillers than feature articles from freelancers. In addition, it can be a good way to make extra money. All you need to get started is writing ability and a little extra time.

Make sure that you have the correct information before you send a filler in. Although you don’t need to write a query letter before submitting fillers as you often would for a feature article, you still want to be as professional as possible. Make sure that you send your submission to a magazine in which your chosen topic would make sense. For instance, you would not want to send women’s workout tips to a men’s magazine. Likewise, you wouldn’t want to send a recipe for a rich, fattening dessert to a health magazine. In addition, make sure you know which department of the magazine you want to send your piece to, and make sure you know the editor’s name.

Write a short piece about interesting facts. You can build a folder of ideas about random topics, and write about them when you have the time. The topics can range from scientific, historical, to just something that is informative. Keep it interesting. One of the main reasons fillers are so popular is because readers can read them even when they may not have time to sit down and read the articles in a magazine. If they are likely to read and enjoy the fillers, they will likely tend to pick up that magazine more often, and eventually chances are they will read more and more of it each time they flip through it.

Provide health or diet tips. You can often take a topic that tends to be vast, and write a couple of short paragraphs emphasising a few of the main points. Or perhaps you can present information on a medical condition that may not be widely discussed. You may find that you have advice to share on a range of topics. Take what you know and write about it.

Submit jokes, humorous stories, quizzes, poetry or other entertaining material. Although most magazines want to present the reader with information, editors also want the readers to be captivated and entertained.

Share your favourite recipes. Many magazines have sections where they talk about food and publish recipes. This could be a great way to share your ideas for a delicious treat.

Send in lots of different fillers to lots of different magazines on a regular basis. If you are trying to make money as a writer, this is the best way to get your material published. This is a great way to build clips if you don’t have a lot of writing samples. It also gives editors the opportunity to become familiar with your work.

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About the Author

Janoah White has been writing professionally since 2006. With a Master of Arts degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, White's work has been included in various print publications including Columbia College Journalism Department newsletters and "Trumpet Newsmagazine," as well as in several online publications.